THE BIG LONG
![](https://stazzasstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image_6483441.jpg)
They don't skimp on size.
Stablemate Andrew “Kiwi” Thompson squashed the competition at the Track Wars XVII – Epic 12-hour timed race, storming home in first place with a tremendous distance of 120km. Sweet!
Gathering at the Xcel Sports Hub in Walton-on-Thames, England, the ultra warriors contended with on-and-off showers and a mixture of cloudy and sunny spells that saw temperatures reaching into the 20s℃. Nothing to moan about there, then—apart from 300 loops of the flat oval, that is.
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The Stable News’ tartan track technician, Ally “the Chin” Smith, met up with the Kiwi to hear about all the pain and glory:
Ally: Woohoo, Andrew! Fantastic work, my man. Victory is yours! Was this also a PB, by any chance?
Andrew: This was my first (and probably last!) timed track run, so it was my PB. It was the longest I’ve ever run, both in terms of time and distance.
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Ally: Hahaha, yeah, I can’t imagine you’ll be rushing back to do this again. How did it all come about?
Andrew: I was initially aiming for an A goal of 130km. But a couple of illnesses in my build-up, as well as my two-year-old being sick (= lack of sleep) in the week building up, meant I wasn’t on A goal form, unfortunately.
I started strong and didn’t stop running for the first 75km, at which point I was on for 130km, but my HR was ticking over at 160 already, and I still had 5.5 hours to go. I realized this wasn’t sustainable, and I was feeling pretty physically and mentally gone, so I managed my effort to my C goal of 120km.
![](https://stazzasstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Andrew-Thompson-Track-Wars-12-Hour-Focus-600.jpg)
There were some dark times, but I knew I was going to finish, and I crossed the line for the 120km lap with about three minutes to go. Completely shattered, I immediately started shivering uncontrollably, despite it being 20℃ still, and had to drive myself 15 minutes home, where I ordered Domino’s and lay on the couch, unable to move for three hours.
![](https://stazzasstable.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Andrew-Thompson-Track-Wars-12-Hour-Pizza.jpg)
Ally: Piece of p*ss, mate, ha-ha. No, seriously; that’s some shift you put in, and you deserve all the Domino’s you like—until the next race, that is. Which is?
Andrew: Valencia Marathon, I’ll just get another order sent in before Stazza has me on the endurance spine.
Ally: Excellent; order me a large Hawaiian while you’re at it.
Coach Stazza called the News as he was swinging back and forth on his hammock:
“An unbelievable 12-hour début for the Kiwi … He kept within himself and pulled back just enough to keep going and get the win … A superb performance, Andrew … Well done.”